


Too Little Too Late

by the_Pop_Culturist



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-03
Updated: 2015-08-03
Packaged: 2018-04-12 19:52:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4492515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_Pop_Culturist/pseuds/the_Pop_Culturist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Only when its gone, do you realize what a gift love is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Too Little Too Late

She had no right being there, she knew that. She knew it the entire twelve hour train ride it took to get there, but logical rational decision making had never been her forte, not when it came to him. It would have been easier and faster if she could have used the Zeta Tubes, but she'd lost that privilege a long time ago.

He'd been slightly more difficult to track down than she'd expected. Her initial searches had led her back to the usual places; San Francisco, Keystone, Central, but he'd been careful to cover his tracks. However when she discovered the name W. R. West in the Register of Deeds office in the small town of Blue Valley, Nebraska it had only taken moments to piece it all together, after all it was where he was born.

It had been several months, probably more like a year and a half; she was never very good with dates. She remembered the last time she'd seen him, she always would. There were no tears, no broken hearted puppy dog eyes, just a solemn expression on his face when he kissed her check and said goodbye. She'd expected explosions, arguments, perhaps even the angry sex the two were famous for, but not a simple turn of his back and a door shutting softly.

She'd known this was coming, she could read him like a book. She'd been cold and matter of fact, she had to. There was no squeals of joy, no oh my God, not even a I'm not sure I'm ready, just a simple cold cruel no. She handed him back the ring and he was gone.

For a man who lived between the seconds of a clock, his timing had never been very good. Her mother had only been dead a month or so, her killer still not found. He loved her desperately and only wanted to keep her safe, to love, cherish, and take care of her the way she deserved, but she needed her freedom, she couldn't be tied down, not then, probably not ever.

Once they left for the hunt, it took less than two weeks for her and Jade to find the killer. The man's last moments on this Earth were of agony and torture, death had been a sweet release, but he was just the beginning. The two natural born assassins would follow the chain, climb the pyramid until the very last person connected to this man were gone, punished with extreme prejudice, the way they had been trained since childhood.

The archer and speedster's paths almost crossed a few times. A crimson and lightning streak would explode down the streets and avenues as she hid in the darkness. A small part of her heart ached at the thought he might still be looking for her, but the sudden wail of sirens in the distance followed by another costumed hero rushing to the scene convinced her otherwise.

Finally their task was complete. Even Lawrence had helped. His false bravado may have made his cooperation seem due to a slight against his reputation, but the two women knew otherwise. Despite the years, the fights, the separation, he loved Paula Crock in his own fucked up way. It's all he knew.

Jade returned to her old life, her family, and Artemis came along, having nowhere else to go. She hadn't looked forward to being around her brother-in-law in any way, shape, or form. They had never been close, never seen eye to eye, but when she walked in the door, she was greeted by a new man, a changed man. He held his daughter in his arms and briefly handed her to her aunt while his lips crashed against his raven haired wife he'd missed so much. Lian looked at the blonde and smiled, Aunt Artemis had always been the young girl's favorite, and it melted the archer's heart to feel that unconditional love again, the same love she walked away from time and time again.

She swallowed hard as she watched the family reunited. The archer had never imagined Jade could function, let alone survive in such an environment, neither one of them had grown up in a household of love, not really. Jade looked back to the sister she'd fought so hard against for so long and kindly nodded, her eyes beginning to water. She'd missed her husband and daughter so much. She rarely spoke of them the entire time they’d been on the, it hurt too much, was just too personal, Artemis realized that the woman known professionally as Cheshire, one time member of the Shadows, deadly assassin for hire, needed her family like she needed oxygen. She and Roy had found a rhythm, a synchronicity, and they needed each other to survive this roller-coaster called life. That was the moment Artemis realized what a fool she'd been.

The window to the condo had been left unlocked, and why wouldn't it be? It was on the top floor of a three story complex. Only an individual such as a trained acrobat would ever think to enter in such a way. He probably used that route just to scare the owner anyway; he always enjoyed doing the ninja thing.

Artemis slowly opened the window and climbed in quietly. Startling a man who could move at the speed of sound was a dangerous proposition. Surprising a man with whom she had not spoken to in ages with the touch of her lips would take grace and ability, two things she had in spades.

After a few moments it was clear the condo was empty. She turned on a lamp and stood surprised at the cleanliness, the organization. For the five years they lived together, he showed no interest to live in such a manner, probably comfortable knowing his blonde roommate would take care of any mess he left. He could be lazy like that.

For just a moment she grew concerned she'd broken into the wrong home, but the place had his scent, his smell.

She glided through the rooms, inspecting each thoroughly, trying to imagine the life he led now. In the den she discovered the pictures, remnants and mementos of his life, his souvenirs. On the mantle stood an autographed picture of Dick Grayson; an amusing birthday gift his best friend had given him years ago, one the speedster thought was hilarious. Artemis smiled at the memory of the other one sitting on a mantle in Bludhaven.

There were no sign of heroics, no costumed vigilantes, just close friends he'd grown up with.

The one next to that was a picture of the boys celebrating Conner's one year anniversary from Cadmus, taken in the abandoned lot the building once stood. That was a moment that changed them all forever, and they celebrated it, the four of them, every year.

The next one she found was one of her favorites. A birthday celebration with a dark haired magician and a sandy brown haired Martian kissing both sides of his cheeks while he mugged for the camera. It was running joke from birthdays past, one the women eagerly agreed to. They loved him, they were family.

The next were various pictures of his parents, the Allen's, the twins, he and Bart.

Finally she came across one she had never seen before, and she felt her mouth grow dry. The red head had his arms around a beautiful Asian woman; they faced each other, staring deep into one another's eyes, as if the camera and the world around them didn't exist. Even a blind man could recognize love.

After a few moments, she slammed the picture down and intently searched for more, never to find what she was looking for. She opened frames to see if any had been moved to the back, opened books to see if they were kept flat and protected.

She left the shelf and searched the condo, opening drawers, and closets, looking in boxes, cabinets, bedside tables. Nothing. There was not a trace of her in his home, in his life. Not anymore. She had been white washed, erased.

Artemis sat down on the couch staring blankly into space. Heartache is not something she subscribed to, but there it was, alive and screaming within her chest. She pursed her lips denying the frown that was trying to form. She carefully placed everything back in its proper place and entered his bedroom. She went to his dresser and found his cologne, spraying it on herself. She opened his drawers and pulled out a t shirt, and wrapped herself in it, finally laying on his bed, under his sheets as the tears began to flow.

She breathed deeply trying to soothe the hurt inside. She had spent so many years running away from him, only to sprint back when she needed him. That was their thing, except... it really wasn't, it was her thing. He never wanted her to leave in the first place; he wanted her by his side forever. That's what the ring signified. She wasn't ready then, she was now, but she knew. She knew she'd missed her chance.

On his bedside table, a light was blinking on his home phone. A call was waiting, a message left. Her hands trembled slightly as she pushed the play button.

"Hey babe it's Linda. I know you're off saving the world somewhere with you super friends," the voice giggled, "but I just want you to know I miss you and I can't wait to have you back in my arms. As soon as you get this message, don't shower, don't unpack just come…."

The phone on the other end of the call dropped to the ground and the women screamed before it trailed off to laughter.

Was that fast enough for you?" the message continued, the voice of Artemis's one time love now playing on the other end, in someone else's home, someone's else's life.

"Not bad. Bart would have gotten here faster."

"You'll pay for that," he laughed as the sound of lips meeting and moans beginning faded with a beep as the message ended. This woman, this Linda, she knew, she knew everything.

The archer no longer tried to hold back the tears. Her world began to crash around her, the life she thought she could walk back into at a moment's notice and hit some magical reset button was gone.

She swallowed hard, remembering the gleam in his eyes, the hopeful smile on his face as he knelt down on one knee and opened the box. She remembered the sound the case made as it closed and was placed back in his pocket. She remembered every second of his lips as they gently touched her cheek one last time.

She remembered lying in a grass hut somewhere in Thailand, waiting for darkness to fall so the two could make their move and kill the warlord that supplied the opium to the Gotham Drug Cartel, the man that employed a man who employed a man, just another name on a food chain. The archer listened to her sister tell stories of Lian, all the while images of red headed freckled children danced in her mind, As she fell asleep that night, green eyes watched over her dreams.

Artemis rolled up the t shirt, sprayed it one final time with his cologne and placed it in her bag. She rose to her feet and walked to the kitchen window.

She knew it was pointless, that the offer had long expired, but still she whispered in a husky voice that cracked as the words rolled out. "Yes Wally."

She stepped out the window and carefully shut it behind her for the last time.


End file.
